Portable oxygen cylinder assembly

ABSTRACT

An oxygen cylinder is releasably retained in a carrying case by a retractable handle which is arranged outside the case for manually operating a valve associated with the cylinder. To that end, a female part of the handle rotatably extends through the carrying case wall and is spring urged into withdrawable locking association with a valve stem for releasably securing the cylinder in a fixed position within the carrying case and operating the valve.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,800,819

McKee 1 1 Apr. 2, 1974 [54] PORTABLE OXYGEN CYLINDER 3,065,857 11/1962 Sanders. 211/71 ASSEMBLY 3,582,116 6/1971 Young 251/293 2,431,527 11/1947 Walters 137/343 1 lrlvemori Albert McKee, 8335 Halsted 2,667,397 1 1954 Holliscy 128/203 x St., Chicago, Ill. 60620 2,866,456 12/1958 Lovy et al..... 128/203 [22] Filed Oct 16 1972 3,502,075 3/1970 Cowley 128/203 X 1 1 pp N01 298,048 Primary ExaminerSamuel Scott Related Appficafion Data Attorney, Agent, or FirmFred C. Philpitt [63] Continuation of Ser No. 67,164, Aug. 26, 1970,

abandoned. [57] ABSTRACT [52] Us. CL v 137/343 An oxygen cylinder is releasably retained in a carrying 51 lm. r161 5/00 Case by a retractable handle which is arranged (side [58] Field of Search 137/343m6'3 iii 8 the case for manually operating a valve associated 5- 145 ,1 3 f with the cylinder. To that end, a female part of the handle rotatably extends through the'carrying case wall and is spring urged into withdrawable locking as- [56] References Cited sociation with a valve stem for releasably securing the cylinder in a fixed position within the carrying case UNITED STATES PATENTS and operating the valve. 2,122,897 7/1938 Straw 128/203 X 3,339,545 9/1967 Burchell 128/1458 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 I974 luvsn-rok AL5RT E Mcksf BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 67,164, filed Aug. 26, 1970, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to inhalators and resuscitators. Particularly it relates to a portable cylinder assembly for compressed oxygen and comprising portable apparatus for oxygen or inhalation therapy, resuscitation and the like.

Prior assemblies of the referenced type include carrying cases which conventionally contain associated adapting paraphernalia, such as masks and the like. The assemblies may be considered as falling into two classes. In a first of these classes, an assembly comprises a pair of gas cylinders which are connected to a manifold and have means for switching to any selected cylinder enabling series cylinder use. In the second class, only a single cylinder is included in the assembly.

Apparatus of the first class is efficient when a pair of cylinders is required, from the standpoint of the ease with which successive cylinders can be placed in use. But such apparatus is disadvantageous in an emergency situation if a setting is too small for its accommodation. Moreover, if only a single cylinder will suffice in a particular circumstance, involvement of a pair of cylinders is needlessly costly and its weight is needlessly cumbersome.

Conventional apparatus of the second class, however, while obviating the disadvantages of a pair of cylinders, are attended by other disadvantageous features. That is to say, some cylinders of the second class have wrench operated valves. Accordingly, there is a hazard of wrench loss, and, in fact, frequently wrenches have been omitted from assemblies due to inadvertence. Furthermore, wrench manipulation is often difficult in assemblies having side opening carrying cases, and, accordingly, undesirably time consuming. To obviate this last problem, some conventional carrying cases have end covers. Difficulty of removal of accessories usually carried in such last cases is the penalty for easy wrench use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved oxygen cylinder assembly.

It is another object of the invention to covercome the aforesaid disadvantages.

It is an additional object of the invention to facilitate operation of a portable oxygen cylinder assembly.

It is a further object of the invention to facilitate cylinder replacement in an assembly of the indicated type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To effect the foregoing and other objects of the invention, an oxygen cylinder with an associated valve is removably mounted in a section of a carrying case having a releasable lid for opening said case. A handle operation of the valve from outside said case can be effected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the ensuing description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference refer to the same part throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an assembly embodying the invention with its carrying case open to display the contents therein;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view according to section line 2-2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a handle comprising said assembly and enlarged from the scale of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a view of said handle similar to FIG. 2 but in an alternate conditon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, shown is a portable gas cylinder assembly, generally designated 10 and comprised of a carrying case 12 and a single compressed gas cylinder herein shown as an oxygen cylinder 14 of a type used, for example, for medical therapy and-resuscitation. The exemplary carrying case is elongated axially of the cylinder and comprises an axially elongated bottom or cylinder receiving shell or section 16 and an upper or cover shell or section 18 which is adapted for enclosing the cylinder within section 16. To that end sections 16 and 18 are hingedly connected together as at 20,20 and two pair of releasable fastening elements 22 and 24 are secured in aligned positions from the peripheries of said container sections.

Cover section 18 is fashioned with a well or cavity. It serves, in a conventional manner, as a storage compartment or chamber 26 for a miscellany of accessories which are adapted for use with the cylinder. Herein, shown releasably mounted in chamber 26 are a test bag 28, a control head and hose assembly 30, a gas aspirator 32, a pair of airways 36 and 38 of different sizes, and a pair of mask assemblies 40 and 42 also of different sizes. The devices stored in section 18 form no part of the invention. Accordingly, further description thereof is omitted.

Section 16 is fashioned with a well or cavity which serves in a conventional manner, as a chamber 44 adapted to hold cylinder 14 lying on a side. This orientation places the bottom end portion 52 of the cylinder to the right of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the top end portion 54 of the cylinder to the left thereof. Container section 16 has a pair of opposed end walls 56 and 58. Means for confining bottom end portion 52 of the cylinder comprises a cup 60, which is secured in the bottom of chamber 44 by any suitable means such as cementing, or the like. The cup is proportioned and has an upper or inner rim 62 at a height such that undesireable movement of cylinder 14, particularly laterally and vertically, is prevented even under extremely rough handling to which the assembly may be subjected in an emergency vehicle.

The top end portion 54 of cylinder 14 has a cylindrical neck, conventionally fashioned of smaller diameter than the remainder of said cylinder. A fitting 64 concentric with the axis of said cylinder extends outwardly therefrom for fluidally connecting it to a cylinder valve 66 which has an open condition and a closed condition for enabling and preventing oxygen flow from said cylinder.

A conventional pressure regulator assembly generally designated 46 is associated with cylinder valve 66. It comprises a yoke shaped bracket or clamp 47 which is releasably secured about the body of valve 66 by a screw 48. The bracket supports a pressure regulator 50 which is fluidally connected to cylinder valve 66. The connection is through the agency of any appropriate or suitable passaged fitting means 52 which is secured to and extends through said bracket.

Pressure regulator assembly 46 may be a heretofore known combination and its details of construction are not intended as limiting on the invention. lts pressure regulator is adapted for spontaneously producing a predetermined gas pressure at the output fittings 68,68 of the apparatus. These latter members are adapted for connection to utilizing means which may be stored in chamber 26 and they are fluidally connected with a cross tube 70 which, with said output fittings, comprises an output combination of said regulator. Also shown in fluid communication with the regulator is a gas gauge 72 which may be of known construction and has a dial for indicating cylinder pressure.

Cylinder valve 66 has a rotatable stem 74 which may be angular in cross section and which projects outwardly, axially of cylinder 14. By rotating the valve stem between its open and closed conditions, flow from the cylinder to the regulator can be selectively initiated and turned off.

Manual means 76 for controlling the angular condition of valve stem 74 and accordingly flow from cylinder 14 comprises a handle herein shown as a wheel 78 with an annular friction grip 80 mounted about the rim of the wheel. The wheel is disposed outside of carrying case 12 and has an axial extension 82 which projects into chamber 44 through a bushing 84 which is mounted in wall 58 of the container in axial alignment with valve stem 74.

Bushing retainer means comprises a flange 86 which is carried radially from the bushing and is drawn against the outer surface of end wall 58. For that purpose a retainer ring 88 is disposed against the inside of wall 58 and fastening means which herein are shown as a pair of screws 90 are projected through flange 86, wall 58 and ring 88 such that nuts 92 when threaded on said screws draw the flange and ring against the opposite surfaces of wall 58 to secure said bushing. Any suitable other fasteners such as rivets (not shown) may be used in lieu of screws 90 to connect flange 86 and ring 88 to wall 58 and thereby secure said bushing.

Extension 82 of manual means 76 is proportioned and arranged for both angular displacement in and movement axially of busing 84. Spring means herein comprising a compression spring 94 urges said handle outwardly to its normal position shown in FIG. 2. To that end said spring is disposed about extension 82 within chamber 44 with one end bearing against the inner surface of bushing 84 and the other end bearing against a retainer plate 96 carried radially from the inner end portion of said last extension.

Extension 82 has an inner end which is fashioned as a female for locking or keyed association with stem 74. The extension is proportioned such that when urged to its normal position, it is in valve controlling condition, then being disposed about saidstem through which agency top end portion 54 of the cylinder is held to preclude its removal from carrying case 12. On the other hand, the parts are proportioned and fashioned such that manual means 76 can be moved manually against the action of spring 94 a distance to the left with respect to the drawings sufficient to disengage the stem and said handle extension (FIG. 4). Thereby end portion 54 of the cylinder is liberated enabling cylinder removal from the carrying case.

Inasmuch as many changes can be made in the illustrated embodiment, it is intended that the drawings and the description thereof be considered as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A portable resusitator unit comprising in combination:

a. carrying case having a bottom section and lid section, said bottom section having first and second end walls,

b. a cylinder of compressed oxygen removably secured in the bottom section of said carrying case,

c. a rotatable valve stem extending outwardly from one end of said cylinder,

d. a cylinder valve associated with said rotatable valve stem, said cylinder valve having an open condition and a closed condition,

e. a pressure regulator assembly associated with said cylinder valve,

f. at least one output fitting from said pressure regulator assembly,

g. a rod-like member extending from the outside of the first end wall of said bottom section of said carrying case through said wall into the interior of said bottom section,

h. said rod-like member being in axial alignment with the axis of said rotatable valve stem,

i. the end of said rod-like member that is exterior to said bottom section being provided with a means for gripping and turning said rod-like member,

j. the other end of said rod-like member being provided with means for engaging the outer end of said rotatable valve stem,

k. resilient means associated with said rod-like member'io'r'bdth biasing said rod-likenieniber into engagement with the outer end of said rotatable valve stem and permitting disengagement thereof when said means for gripping and turning said rodlike member is pulled away from said carrying case,

1. said second end wall of said bottom section containing means for confining one end portion of said cylinder at a position opposed from said valve stem and cooperating with said engaging means (j) for rigidly securing said cylinder in said bottom section, said confining means comprising a cup proportioned so as to restrict rotative movement of said cylinder.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said rod-like member has an axial female end portion having an internal angular configuration, said rotatable valve stem being disposed in alignment with said end portion and having an external configuration for mating association therewith.

3. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said rod-like member projects through a bushing mounted in the end wall of said bottom section.

4. A combination according to claim 3 which also inends arranged in bearing engagement with said bushing cludes a retaining element located adjacent the inner and said retaining element for releasably holding said end of said rod-like member and wherein said resilient rod-like element in cylinder securing condition. means comprises a compression spring having opposed 

1. A portable resusitator unit comprising in combination: a. carrying case having a bottom section and lid section, said bottom section having first and second end walls, b. a cylinder of compressed oxygen removably secured in the bottom section of said carrying case, c. a rotatable valve stem extending outwardly from one end of said cylinder, d. a cylinder valve associated with said rotatable valve stem, sAid cylinder valve having an open condition and a closed condition, e. a pressure regulator assembly associated with said cylinder valve, f. at least one output fitting from said pressure regulator assembly, g. a rod-like member extending from the outside of the first end wall of said bottom section of said carrying case through said wall into the interior of said bottom section, h. said rod-like member being in axial alignment with the axis of said rotatable valve stem, i. the end of said rod-like member that is exterior to said bottom section being provided with a means for gripping and turning said rod-like member, j. the other end of said rod-like member being provided with means for engaging the outer end of said rotatable valve stem, k. resilient means associated with said rod-like member for both both biasing said rod-like member into engagement with the outer end of said rotatable valve stem and permitting disengagement thereof when said means for gripping and turning said rod-like member is pulled away from said carrying case, l. said second end wall of said bottom section containing means for confining one end portion of said cylinder at a position opposed from said valve stem and cooperating with said engaging means (j) for rigidly securing said cylinder in said bottom section, said confining means comprising a cup proportioned so as to restrict rotative movement of said cylinder.
 2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said rod-like member has an axial female end portion having an internal angular configuration, said rotatable valve stem being disposed in alignment with said end portion and having an external configuration for mating association therewith.
 3. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said rod-like member projects through a bushing mounted in the end wall of said bottom section.
 4. A combination according to claim 3 which also includes a retaining element located adjacent the inner end of said rod-like member and wherein said resilient means comprises a compression spring having opposed ends arranged in bearing engagement with said bushing and said retaining element for releasably holding said rod-like element in cylinder securing condition. 